It is the place all visitors who stay the night at the Fairegarden are taken, weather and time permitting.

There had been heavy and steady rain the day before. The falls were full and raucous.

While it was too early to see the native Rhododendron and mountain laurels in bloom…

….There were surprises around the bend on this sunny day. Common Blue aka spring azure butterflies flitted and fluttered, resting on the stones, barely visible in their camoflauge.

The mist parted by the sun revealed wildflowers in bloom. Anemone acutiloba was waving white petals in the wind.

A cute little Antennaria solitaria held white globes above purplish foliage. The next day at a local plant sale, one of these was purchased to come live in the Wildflower Corner to help remember the wonderful wildflowers seen at the waterfall.

Sweet Betsey, Trillium cuneatum dotted red amongst the mossy slopes.

Ferns and fairy bells, Disporum ssp. joined the party.

As if seeing the waterfall itself was not thrilling enough, it was the wildflower discovery on the other side of the mountain trail that brought squeals of delight and the cameras to focus on the ground rather than the waters. It was a delightful day all around.

My friend and fellow blogger, Kathy Purdy of Cold Climate Gardening graced our humble abode with her presence in early April. Here we are digging Narcissus ‘Sailboat’ for her to take home. She used her tool of choice, a digging fork while I used my favorite, the Bulldog shovel. The Financier was the photographer, adding light hearted laughter to the proceedings. Thank you, Kathy for making the long journey from New York to Tennessee. It was a lovely visit and our door and garden are always open to you!

Of course Kathy was also taken to Mouse Creek Nursery, Click here for more info, open for its final year before closing the doors this fall for Ruth and her husband to enjoy a much deserved retirement. (Yes, that is the same church in the background of the image of Kathy and me that is mentioned in the post linked.)

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This story is to be included in my friend Gail of Clay and Limestone’s worthy wildflower feature for the month of April. Gail has been to both the Bald River Falls and Mouse Creek, too. Click here if you wish to know more about her visit.

Here are a couple more posts about the falls with more information about this magical place:

16 Responses to Wildflower Waterfall With a Friend

Lucky Kathy to be able to go to your special places. Those wildflowers are so pretty. Nothing better than visitors and wildflowers.

You know how I do love appreciative visitors to my garden, Lisa! Kathy was here long enough to be taken out and about, including to the very beginnings of the Smoky Mountains. I am very proud of this land and its heritage and love to show it off. That the wildflowers were blooming was such a treat, icing on the cake of Nature’s finest!
Frances

I am so glad Kathy got to see the falls and your garden. You are the best hostess, I’ve had a great time on every visit. The wildflowers you saw are fantastic~especially the fairy bells. We have pussytoes growing in our woodland parks and I must add them to the garden. They are marvelous wildflowers. Happy Wildflower Wednesday my dear. xoxoxgail

Thanks for coming to see me, dear Gail. I so enjoy your visits, too! I thought of you when we saw the wildflowers blooming on the other side of the mountain trail. You would have loved them. Happy WWW to you! xoxoxo
Frances

That waterfall is so beautiful now, I can barely imagine how literally breathtaking it all must be when the Rhodies and mountain laurel are in bloom. What is WRONG WITH ME that I haven’t ever made the less than an hour drive to see this all with my own eyes??? Maybe this year…

Hi Michaele, you do need to go down there. I have been so many times, but the best falls are after we have had plentiful rains.
Frances

Love the falls in all seasons – especially spring. I have hepatica, trillium, wild geraniums and even Jack-in-the-Pulpit in my own wildflower garden. I purchased them in Townsend at a wildflower nursery. I enjoy all your posts – gardeners are kindred spirits for sure.

Oh how fun. Lucky Kathy to have come for a visit to Fairegarden. Over her birthday even, maybe? Bummer about Mouse Creek closing. I know that’ll be a loss for you and your garden.

Hi Pam, thanks for stopping by. It was very fun to have Kathy come visit and it was right before her birthday, yes. We will miss Mouse Creek, but hope to still be able to see Ruth and her husband sometimes.
Frances

What an utterly beautiful place, I can almost feel the spray from the water fall on my face,and smell the earth, so full of emerging life.
Cherokee National Forest must be a very special place to visit.
We have special places like that in Tasmania’s ‘Tarkin Wilderness’ unfortunately it is constantly under threat from logging…..plus mining, what a complete tragedy it would be if it all went ahead, and future generations were denied the pleasure of such places.
A pity I am so far away, I’d love to visit such places with you.

Hi Sandy, thanks for joining us. There was indeed water spray on us while we were there. It was wonderful! Your special place in Tasmania certainly sounds idyllic, I do hope it can be saved for the future. I wish you could see the wonders of the US, and that I could see the wonders down under. Maybe someday for us both.
Frances

Hi, Frances. I used to live up in the mountains outside Reliance, Tn. (on Towee Mountain to be exact). I loved the wildflowers and the serenity. My brother lives in Soddy Daisy outside Chattanooga, so I still get to visit the area. Thanks for a taste of spring in Tennessee! Susan

Hi Susan, thanks for stopping by. I know both Reliance and Soddy Daisy, of course. This is beautiful countryside, here, for certain!
Frances

What a beautiful waterfall! No wonder you like to share it with visitors, Frances. I’m sure Kathy enjoyed her tour of Fairegarden as well–a sight to behold also. I’m sorry to hear Mouse Creek is closing this fall, but I’m happy that Ruth and her husband are going to enjoy their retirement. We so enjoyed meeting and talking with her last spring on our trip to Tennessee. She shared a secret with us, which I have kept ever since…mainly because I soon forgot what it was:)

Hi Rose, thanks for stopping by. I am so glad you, Lisa and Becky got to visit with Ruth at Mouse Creek. If you ever remember that secret she told you, please share! HA
Frances

Oh yes, that secret–names will be omitted, to protect the innocent. But it was the name of this year’s perennial plant of the year. We were excited to be some of the first to know that variegated Solomon’s Seal was this year’s winner. But as I said, the secret was safe with me–I forgot the winner by the time we got to North Carolina:)

How nice that Kathy came by. I should drive up there sometime…we aren’t that far away. The falls are flowing pretty hard in your picture. Garden blogger visits are always fun, looking forward to seeing Skeeter in a little while this afternoon.

Hi Janet, thanks. I know you had a lovely time with Skeeter, she is so much fun!
Frances

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My name is Frances and I am a lifelong gardener, having lived in various parts of the USA over many years. I am now gardening in USDA Zone 7a east Tennessee. From 2000 to 2014 I was gardening on a slope in a small town in Tennessee. I have been blogging about my gardens since December of 2007. Thank you for visiting!